Samenwerking tussen EU en Azerbeidzjan inzake luchtvaartdiensten (en)

Mr Francois Lamoureux, Director General of the Energy and Transport Directorate General of the European Commission, and Mr Zia Mamedov, Minister of Transport of the Azeri government, yesterday initialled an air services agreement between the EU and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

This agreement, which will be formally signed at a later stage following constitutional procedures of each party, is the first agreement in the field of civil aviation between the European Community and the Republic of Azerbaijan. The agreement brings existing bilateral air services agreements between EU Member States and Azerbaijan in line with EU legislation. Its main objective is to put an end to provisions that do not authorise European carriers to fly to Azerbaijan unless they leave from their countries of origin. Once signed and implemented, the agreement will allow any European airline to have access to the Azeri market from any Member State. Bilateral agreements between EU Member States and Azerbaijan will remain in force with the exception of those provisions changed by the EU agreement.

Mr Lamoureux welcomed the agreement as important for EU-Azerbaijan aviation relations and a concrete step forward to develop overall relationships between the EU and the Republic of Azerbaijan. He added: "The strengthening of transport connections is key for the further improvement of economic and political contacts between Azerbaijan and the EU. It will create opportunities for European and Azeri carriers."

Both sides emphasised the importance of pursuing the goals of the opening up of Azerbaijan's aviation market and Azerbaijan's integration into pan-European aviation structures.

The European Commission has initialled similar agreements with Chile, Georgia and Lebanon and intends to open soon negotiations with other countries in the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia.